Elevator-locking mechanism.



ELEVATOR LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. I916.

Patented July 10, 1917.

WBTNESSES T T here a, a 1 2 HARRY L. BECK, OF PITTSBURGH, JERRY J. HOULAHEN, 0F MILLVALE, AND JOHN WEIBLE, OF GORAOPOLIS, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELEVATOR-LOCKING MECHANISM.

Patented July 10, 1917.

flontinuation of application Serial No. 28,189, filed May 14, 1915. This application filed March 13, 1916. Serial No. 84,680.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HARRY L. BECK, JERRY J. HOULAHEN, and JOHN NEIBLE, citizens of the United States, and residents of (1) Pittsburgh, (2) Millvale, and (3) Coraopolis, respectively, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevator-Locking Mechanism; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to safety devices for elevator gates, more particularly to that class of devices in which the gate of the elevator must be closed before the elevator is free to ascend or descend whether the gates move vertically or horizontally.

By our invention, if the gate is a vertically moving one, the gate is held in its raised or open position and by the pulling of the operating rope, the gate, being released by an electrical device, drops of its own weight, and in dropping operates a switch, which in turn, completes the circuit to the motor for moving the elevator, so that no movement of the elevator takes place until the gate is moved to closed position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates largely in diagram an elevator system embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the fixed and movable contacts of the car switch; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the controller mechanism or main motor switch, all views being hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, the numeral 2 indicates the elevator car which travels in a suitable shaft structure having one or more doorways or openings each of which is provided with a gate 3 that is preferably arranged to move vertically in suitable guides in the door-frame 4: of the elevator shaft opening. In the particular type of elevator arrangement shown a shift cable or operating rope 5 is employed to actuate the main starting reverse-switch mechanism 6 which controls the car operating motor 7 with respect to the source of current fed to the motor from mains 8 and 9, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The rope 5 passes over usual guide sheaves 10 and around the drum 11 fixed to the operating shaft 12 of a reverse switch 6. This reverse switch is a well known type and does not need to be described in detail, the drawing showing diagrammatically a switch comprising a plurality of movable controller segments 13, 14 and 15 insulated from one another and relatively fixed contact shoes 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 2 1, 25, 26 and 27, which are engaged by the controller segments in the order hereinafter more fully set forth.

Disposed within the car of the elevator is a hand switch 28 which opens and closes a circuit of an electro-magnetic gate releasing device mounted at the top of the door frame and comprising the solenoid 29, lever arm 29 and cam 30, which operate to spread the spring arms 31 which normally engage a shouldered stud 32 for holding the gate in raised position. Also arranged so as to be closed by engagement of the gate when said gate occupies its uppermost position, is a switch 33 in the circuit of the gate releasing mechanism. The gate 3 carries an operating shoe or projection 34 that engages the spring pressed arm 35 and thereby closes a switch 36, when the gate occupies its lowered or closed position, for effecting completion of a circuit that includes the actuating solenoid 37 of a main switch 38 that operates to make and break the main motor circuit. The hand switch 28 also controls a circuit of a lamp 283 the lighting of which indicates closing of the circuits comprising the door releasing mechanism and the switch actuating solenoid 37.

If it is desired to use the car it will be apparent that the gate 3 must be in its lowered position, for otherwise the switch 36 would remain open and the main motor circuit switch 38 denergized. Pulling the cable to bring the controller segments into engagement with the fixed contacts, and turning of the hand switch 28 in such manner as to result in lighting of the lamp 28 will result in closing of a circuit from main 8 through lead 8*, thence to lead 8 to contact 22, controller segment 13, and the opposite contact 16 to lead 8 that includes the solenoid 29 to lead 8 and main 9. Resultant energizing of the gate releasing mechanism causes the gate to descend, the projecting member 3 1 of the gate closing theswitch 36 completing the circuit of lead 8 through switch 36 and the winding of the solenoid 37, to negative main 9. Energizing of the solenoid 37 closes the main motor switch 38 so that by shifting of the cable or operating rope 5, the operator may set up travel of the elevator car in the desired direction. This is brought about by the reverse switch mechanism above generally described. It will be assumed that when it is desired to have the elevator travel upwardly, the switch mechanism 6 is shifted so that the segments 14 and 15 will be shifted to a position where they will. engage certain of the fixed contacts arranged on what we shall term the Y side of the controller, and that when it is desired to lower the elevator, reverse shifting of the operating rope 5 will move the controller segments 14 and 15 to engage fixed contacts on what we shall term the Z side of the controller. Thus with the operating rope 5 shifted to bring the segments 14 and 15 into engagement with the contacts on the Y side of the controller and the main switch 38 closed as above described, current will fiow from main 8 to lead 8 to contact 23, controller segment 14 and thence to contact 18 by reason of the fact that contact 18 electrically connects with contact 24 which ongages the controller segment 14. From contact 18 current flows through a shunt field winding 39 or" the motor out through lead 8' and through main switch 38 to negative main 9. Also in the circuit or said contact 18 and lead 8 is the operating solenoid 40 of a variable resistance or self-starter 41 for the motor 7, connected in the main armature circuit of the motor. This main energizing circuit of the motor, comprising the lead 8 is energized from main 8 and lead 8 by reason of the engagement of contact 25 that not only engages the controller segment 14 but is also electrically connected to the opposite fixed contact 20 in the circuit of the resistance 41 and lead 8 The oppo site end of lead 8 connects with contact 26 whichis engaged by the controller segment 15, that also engages contact 27 which is electrically connected to contact 21 which is in the circuit of lead 8 and the main switch 38. Energizing of the motor 7 is effected by thecircuit connections just described so that as desired the elevator is caused to travel upwardly. If it is desired to reverse rope 5 is shifted in an opposite direction with the result that the circuit connections above described are again set up from the opposite contact shoes by movement of the controller, with the exception that current flowing through the motor circuit is reversed by travel of currentfthrough lead 8 to contact 17th'ence through controller segment 14 to contact 19 and its electrically connecting contact 26 to the motor armature 7, lead 8 resistance 41, contact 20',- through controller segment 15 to contact 21, through lead 8 and main switch 38 to 8 and 9.

The switch 33 in the gate releasing inechanism insures deenergizing of the circuit of the gate releasingsolenoid 29 when the gate is lowered and irrespective of the circuit relationship of the contacts 16 .and 22 and segment 13 of the reverse switch, so that when the gate is only partially lowered, it is" impossible to energize the main switch 38 merely through the reverse switch mechanism 6. To do so the gate must be completely lowered to effect closing of the switch 36.

lVhile we have illustrated a vertically moving gate, which descends by gravity, it is apparent that the invention applies equally well to a horizontally moving gate, which could be moved by a weight, or compressed air.

It will be apparent that when one of the gates is opened, all the other gates will be closed; and if the car is left at an upper floor, and is needed in the basement, the car can be lowered by the party in the base ment working the control cable or rope 5, providing, however, the operator above has not opened the hand-switch 28 in the car. Ii the hand-switch is open, the main-line circuit is open and the operator from below would not be able to release the open gate or start the elevator. The car may be stopped by the hand-switch but if the gate is open, the closing of the switch does not start the car; the cable or rope must first be moved to bring controller segment 13 into engagement with contacts 16 and 22 completing the gate releasing circuit and controller segments 14 and 15 into engagement with the fixed contacts 17, &c., the gate in turn completing the motor circuit by closing switch 36.

If the operator while at any floor does not wish anyone to use the elevator at any other floor, by opening the switch 28 he prevents the elevator from being moved or the gate being released from its open position, and in this manner, safety against accident is obtained and, furthermore, theoperation of the elevator cannot take place until the door is closed.

What we claim is: I 1. In a safety device for elevators, th combination of a vertically movable car, a vertically movable gate, means for retaining the gate in its open position, an operating cable, a main line circuitya starting reverse switch in said circuit operated by said cable, a solenoid, gate releasing mechanism, connections between said gate releasing mechanism and said solenoid, means for energizing said solenoid by the movement of said switch, a switch in the path of the moving gate, a motor, and connections controlled by said first switch and said second switch for completing the circuit to the motor.

2. In a safety device for elevators, the combination of a vertically movable car, a movable gate, means for holding said gate in its open position, an operatingcable, a main line circuit, a starting reverse switch in said circuit operated by said cable, a gate releasing circuit connected in parallel to said main circuit, a solenoid in said gate releasing circuit, gate releasing mechanism, connections between said mechanism and said solenoid, means for energizing said solenoid by the movement of said cable, a switch in the path of the moving gate, a motor, and connections controlled by said first switch and said second switch for completing the circuit to the motor.

8. In a safety device for elevators, the combination of a vertically movable car, a movable gate, an operating cable, a main line circuit, a reverse switch, connections between said cable and switch for operating said switch, a gate releasing circuit connected in parallel to said main circuit, a solenoid in said gate releasing circuit, an automatically opening switch in said gate releasing circuit in the path of said gate and closed thereby when said gate is open, spring-arms, a projection on said gate engaged by said spring-arms, mechanism for spreading said arms to release said gate, connections between said mechanism and said solenoid, a switch in the path of the closing gate, a motor, and means for completing the circuit to said motor by the movement of said last-named switch.

l. In a safety device for elevators, the combination with a vertically movable car, a movable gate, an operating cable, a main line circuit, a switch in said circuit, connections between said cable and said switch for operating the same, a gate releasing circuit connected in parallel to said main circuit, a

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arms, a cam between said spring-arms, connections between said cam and said solenoid, a switch in the path of the descending gate, a motor, and means controlled by said first switch and said last switch for completing the circuit to the motor.

5. In a safety device for elevators, the combination of a vertically movable car, a movable gate, means for holding said gate in its open position, an operating cable, an electrical circuit, means in said circuit controlled by said cable for releasing said gate, a second electrical circuit connected in parallel with said first mentioned circuit, a motor in said second circuit, and means for completing the circuit to said motor by the movement of said gate.

6. In a safety device for elevators, the combination of a vertically movable car, a movable gate, means for retaining said gate in its open position, releasing mechanism, an operating cable, an electrical circuit, means operated by said cable for completing said circuit to operate said releasing mechanism, a motor circuit connected in parallel with said first named circuit, a motor, means controlled by said first named circuit for completing the circuit to the motor by the closing movement of said gate, and a switch on said car for making and breaking said first circuit.

In testimony whereof, we the said HARRY L. BECK, JOHN WEIBLE and JERRY J. Hou- LAHEN have hereunto set our hands.

HARRY L. BECK.

JERRY J. HOULAHEN.

JOHN WEIBLE. Witnesses:

J 0111a F. WILL, HARRY COLLIGAN.

Commissioner of Patents, 

